Artificial leg



Sept- 22, 1936. F. BUCHSTEIN ARTIFICIAL LEG 2 sheets-smet 1 Filed April 4, 1934 j F15. i

, "gum "29 Sept. 22, 1936. F. BUcHsTElN 2,055,066

ARTIFICIAL LEG FiledApril 4, 1934 2 sheets-sheet 2 5v H/s. ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 22, 1936 UNITED STATES YpAT-ENI, ,OFF-ICE l 1 Claim.

My present invention relates to articial body members and more particularly to articial legs. Heretofore, artificial legs have been carried from the shoulder or shoulders of the wearer by suspenders or other devices which are highly objectionable for the reason that they chaffA the wearer, are uncomfortable and unsightly, particularly when the wearer has on thin clothes or goes without a coat. i I .l

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of simple and highly efncient means, including a pelvic girdle, for carrying an articial leg suspended from one of the hip bones lof the wearer.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a simple and highly ecient motion control device for the lower leg section and which device is connected to the pelvic girdle.

A further object of the invention isV the provision of a novel knee joint. l

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter be made fully apparent in the specification and pointed out in theV claim.

' To the above end, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and dened in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a. right side elevation of an articial leg applied to a human body diagrammatically and fragmentarily illustrated by means of broken lines;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. l, with some parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l, on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view in section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a View principally in section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 but showing the body and artificial leg in a sitting posture with a portion of the lower leg section broken away.

The artificial leg illustrated is for an amputation above the knee and for the purpose of showing the same in working position, there is fragmentarily illustrated in the drawings, a portion of a human body X.

Of the parts of the artificial leg illustrated, it is important to note the foot section 1, the lower leg section 8, and the upper leg section 9. Both leg `sections and S are ci a hollow structure.

The joint between the foot section and the lower leg section 8 is indicated as an entirety vby the numeral Il) and may be of any well-known construction.

The knee joint, whichfis of novel construction, includes a pairpi` axially aligned hubs l I formed `withpthe upper end portions of a pairV of metallic straps l2 `which extend into the lower leg `section 8 and are rigidly secured, one toeacht side thereof. Y Y n Extending axially through thev hubs Il is a bolt I3 having on its `inner enda large screwhead I4 which impinges against the outer face of the inner hub Il. The bolt lhasscrewthreaded engagementwith the inner hub Il, as indicated at I5. A screw i6, having a head I'I similar to the head 15,'extends into the tapped outer end portion of the bolt` i3 and'has screwthreaded engagement therewith. The bolt I3 is held-from` turning about its axisv in the inner hub-ll by theV head ofa screw I8 which extends into a notch in the periphery of the screw-head I4. 'I'his screw I8 has threaded engagement with theV inner hub 4|'I.` A5 screw 19similar to the screw I8, has threaded engagement with the" Outerv hub Il andits head extends' into a periph- ,eral-notchin thefscrew-headl'l and holds the screw I6 from turning relative to said hub'and the bolt I3.

The 'improved knee joint further includes a pair of axially aligned ball bearings which include outer ball races 20, rigidly secured to the upper leg section 9 in apertures in the sides thereof, inner ball races 2l, through which the bolt I3 extends axially, and series of balls 22 interposed between the races 20 and 2|. ByV reference to Fig. 3 it will be noted that the inner ball races 2l impinge against the inner faces of the hubs II and the outer ball races 20 are out of contact with said hubs.

A long spacing sleeve 23 is mounted on the bolt I3 between the ball bearings and a crank or lever 24 is carried by said sleeve. The lever 24 comprises a pair of laterally spaced and radially projecting prongs 2e, integral at their inner end portions with said sleeve, and a roller-equipped pin 26 mounted on and between the prongs 25, at their outer end portions.

It is important to note that the spacing sleeve 23 at its ends engages the inner ends of the inner ball races 2l and positively holds the same, as Well-as the hubs Il, against axial movement toward each other. It will thus be seen that the bolt I3 holds the inner ball races 2| clamped beiit tween the hubs and the sleeve 2'3 and positively holds the same from turning on the bolt I3. With the inner ball races 2| thus held, the outer ball races 29, and hence the upper leg section 9, are free to move about the axis of the knee joint. A plurality of screws 2'| connect the lever 24 to the spacing sleeve 23. The lever 24 forms apart of a motion control device for the lower leg section 8, as will hereinafter appear.

Referring now in detail to the means for carrying the articial kleg from the'body X, and which means comprises a buckle-equipped pelvic girdle 28 having a hanger. 'I'his hanger includes a metal bow 29 and a stiff curved metal strap 30 to which the ends of said bow are rigidly secured.

The strap 30 is rigidly secured by rivets or other. wise to the girdle 28 and extends around the right Y side of the bod;r X and considerably beyond the ends of the bow 29. The girdle 28 and the hanger- 29-30 are connected to the upper leg section 19'by'a` quadruple joint. This joint is in the form or a pair of metal links 3| that are crossed in X-shaped arrangement. These links 3| are plvoted, at their upper ends to the strap 30, midway between the ends of the bow 29, and their lower ends-are pivoted to a bracket 32 rigidily secured to the upper leg section 9, at the outer side and top thereof. 'I'he bow 29 is padded and covered with leather or other suitable material.

The bow 29 is constructed and arranged to extend over the ilium or crest of the hip bone above the articial leg. By reference to Fig. 2 it will be noted that the upper portion of the bow 29 is curved'outwardly and upwardly to more clearly follow the contour of the body X.

Obviously, the girdle 28 holds the bow 29 drawn tight against the body X so that the upper portion thereof extends over the iliurn and supports the artificial leg thereto.

The motion control device for the lower leg section 8, heretofore referred to, further includes a'strap 33, the intermediate portion of which is arranged to run over the roller-equipped pin 26. The end portions of the Ystrap 33 extend outwardly and upwardly through front vand rear apertures inthe upper leg section 9 above the lever 24 and the ends, of said 'strap are adjustably attached by buckles 34 to the lower ends of ra pair of elastic straps 35. Said straps 35 at their upper ends are anchored to the metal strap 3l) at the ends of the bow 29. In a broad sense, the elastic straps 35 form sections of the strap 33. The end portions of the strap 33, where the same pass through the apertures in the upper leg section 9, run over flanged rollers 36 journaled on fixed bearing 31 rigidly secured to the upper leg section 9 on the inside thereof, see Fig. 4. It is important to note that the lever 24, see Fig. 5, extends upwardly and forwardly from the axis of the knee joint so that the elastic straps 35 are placed under tension by said lever when the articial leg is bent at the knee joint.

Within the upper leg section 9 is a stop block 38 rigidly secured to said leg section, at the back thereof, and arranged to be engaged by the level` 24 to limit the forward swinging movement of the lower leg section 8 and align the same with the Yupper leg section 9. The quadruple joint 3| gives the artificial leg a free and natural swinging movement from the girdle 28 and the hanger 29--30 towhich it is connected.

It will be'understood that the invention described is capable of various modications within the scope of the invention herein disclosed and claimed.

What I claim is:

The combination Vwith an artificial leg of an upper leg section and a lower leg section, of a girdle adapted to be applied around a body below the crest of the hip bones. and having a hanger comprising a bow extending upwardly above said girdle and a metal reinforcing strap connecting the ends of the bow, said bow being adapted to 'fit over the crest of one of the hip bones, a joint connecting the upper leg section to the girdle, said Atrol device for the lower leg section including a exible strap, the ends of which are attached to the reinforcing strap in the vicinity of the ends of the bow.

FERDINAND BUCHSTEIN. 

